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"New Report Highlights Environmental Risks of EDC Deal on CANDU Reactor"

This report, commissioned by European NGOs analyzes the existing environmental impact assessment information and finds it deficient.

Submission to the International Development Committee, House of Commons
On the Relationship between the World Bank and Sustainable Development
October 25, 2002
1. The Halifax Initiative, a Canadian coalition of non-governmental organizations, would like to thank-you for your commitment as Parliamentarians to receive evidence on the actions of the international financial institutions, from a broad range of witnesses, in order to better assist in ensuring the institutions’ accountability. We welcome this endeavor, and will advocate for it to be replicated in our own Parliament.

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This report documents the World Bank's approach to sustainable development in specific sectors addressed in Agenda 21, such as climate change, poverty, forests, pesticides and marine and freshwater resources. Co-released with Friends of the Earth (http://www.foe.org)

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This report offers a succinct overview of the GEF's first ten years, examining some of its history, structure and governance, the conflicting expectations of its participants and the implications of the central role of the World Bank. Co-released with Environmental Defense (http://www.environmentaldefense.org)

May 9, 2002

The Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Minister for International Trade
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Lester B. Pearson Building
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario   K1A 0G2

Dear Minister Pettigrew:

I am writing you today on behalf of the NGO Working Group on Export Development Canada to denounce the recent attempted kidnapping of indigenous community leader Sara Imilmaqui in Chile and demand EDC to withdraw its support of the Ralco dam project until the voice of the indigenous Mapuche people is heard.

 
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Submission to the public consultations on EDC's Environmental Review Framework
The NGO Working Group on the Export Development Corporation welcomes the opportunity to provide comments on the Environmental Review Framework (ERF). We have been asking for this opportunity since April 1999 when EDC first released the ERF. It is our recommendation that the second version of the ERF be released in draft, before its adoption by the Corporation. Version 2.0 of the ERF will include such critical information as performance and process standards and EDC’s stakeholders should have an opportunity to comment on the specifics of the policy. This process has been followed by EDC in its release of the draft disclosure policy and subsequent comment period.

NGO Working Group
on the Export Development Corporation
A working group of the Halifax Initiative

Background paper
for the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Hearings on Bill C-31 on the Export Development Act

October 15, 2001

The NGO Working Group on the Export Development Corporation is a coalition of 17 Canadian non-governmental organisations concerned about the social, human and environmental impacts of export credit agencies. The NGO Working Group has been participating fully in the legislative process on the Export Development Act since 1999, including the SCFAIT hearings in 1999, the public consultations on the EDC’s disclosure policy and environmental review framework, and the international campaign to reform export credit agencies which has focused on the OECD’s Export Credit Guarantees process.

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Like the Report Reckless Lending Volume 1, Volume II documents the negative impacts of several projects financed by Canada's Export Development Corporation (EDC). These publications demonstrate clearly the need to ensure that EDC, a public agency, be required by law to uphold public policies and international standards protecting human rights, the environment and the social needs of communities.

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Submitted as part of EDC's consultations on the environment, this report makes a case for placing EDC under the provisions of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

Abstract

NGO Coalition accuses Government of having a double standard on trade, human rights and environment

Monday, February 20, 2001